Securing the right domain name is critical for online business success. To do that, you’ll need a registrar, a seller of domain names accredited by ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.
Here is a list of leading domain name registrars. In addition to domains, most registrars also provide website building and hosting services. Some offer free domain names when packaged with hosting. For comparison purposes, I’ve listed only the introductory pricing of the .com top-level domain (TLD). The pricing sometimes varies based on the name’s demand.
GoDaddy
GoDaddy
GoDaddy is the largest and most expensive domain company, with over 21 million customers and 80 million registered domains. GoDaddy offers free domain privacy, real-time monitoring, and 24/7 customer support. It also provides payable domains — shareable pay links branded with your domain name, to accept payments without a website. Though a subsidiary, GoDaddy buys and sells its domain names and provides tools and resources for investors to do the same. Pricing for .com starts at $0.01 for the first year, with the second year for $21.99 and higher.
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Namecheap
Namecheap
Namecheap is a popular registrar with over 19 million registered domains. Namecheap features include competitive pricing with various features, including monthly coupons and package deals, 24/7 customer support, and free WhoIs privacy protection. Namecheap offers peer-to-peer Handshake domains for the decentralized web. Pricing: .com is $9.58 for the first year and $14.58 for renewal.
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Dynadot
Dynadot
Dynadot is an advanced domain marketplace with over 500 top-level domains — e.g., .com, .co, .info — and several listing methods for purchasing domains, including a make-offer system, buy-it-now pricing, action and bid placement, and monthly installment plans. The platform features free domain privacy and security, a website builder, 24/7 customer support, and tools for managing domain names in bulk. More than 4.5 million names are managed through Dynadot. Dynadot does not maintain its own portfolio of domain names, so there is no conflict of interest with its customers. Pricing: .com is $10.99 per year.
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Ionos
Ionos
Ionos is a domain registrar and the largest web host in Europe. According to the company’s website, Ionos manages over 8 million customer contracts and hosts over 12 million domains worldwide. Ionos’s domain services include a free email address with 2 GB of space, up to 10,000 subdomains, domain transfer lock, 24/7 customer support, and a dedicated support consultant. Register a domain for up to five years. Pricing: .com is $1 for the first year and $17 for renewal.
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NameSilo
NameSilo
NameSilo offers domain names, hosting, and email services. Featuring inexpensive and transparent pricing, NameSilo has more than 5 million registered domains. Free add-ons include WhoIs privacy, email forwarding, Domain Defender security, custom WhoIs records, and DNS management. Pricing: .com is $10.95 per year with discounts for bulk purchasing.
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Domain.com
Domain.com
Founded in 1998, Domain.com provides domain names, web hosting, and related services. Domain.com offers more than 300 TLDs, including domains across over 25 country codes. The company provides domain and hosting services to more than 2 million websites. It also offers domain brokerage services to locate and acquire a domain name already claimed. Pricing: .com is $11.99 for the first year and $21.99 for renewal. Privacy protection is $8.99 per year.
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Bluehost
Bluehost
Founded in 2003, Bluehost provides domain names, web hosting, design, digital marketing, and website migration services. Bluehost’s domain service features easy management, auto-renewal, domain forwarding, privacy, and more. According to its website, Bluehost collectively manages more than 2 million domains. Pricing: .com is $12.99 for the first year and $19.99 for renewal. Privacy protection is $15 per year.
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Hover
Hover
Hover is part of Tucows, one of the first ICANN-accredited domain name registrars. More than 11 million active domains are managed through Tucows. Hover offers bulk pricing, monthly sales, and WhoIs privacy protection. Pricing: .com is $14.99 for the first year.
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Google Domains
Google Domains
Google Domains recently announced its pending acquisition by Squarespace. Until then, Google Domains offers competitive pricing and features. Choose from more than 300 TLDs. Free extras include email forwarding, WhoIs privacy, 2-step verification, domain forwarding, and 24/7 support. Register a domain name for up to 10 years. Pricing: .com is $12 for the first year.
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Hostinger
Hostinger
Founded in 2011, Hostinger offers domain registration services with instant activation, free WhoIs privacy protection, 24/7 live technical support, and full DNS management. Hostinger manages more than 1.8 million domain names. Pricing: .com is $9.99 for the first year and $14.99 for renewal.
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DreamHost
DreamHost
DreamHost hosts over 1.5 million websites and apps. It offers more than 400 top-level domain names to choose from. Extras include WhoIs privacy, unlimited subdomains, domain forwarding, simple domain management, and 24/7 customer support. Pricing: .com is $7.99 for the first year and $17.99 for renewal.
